dear herb.
← search the archive
botanical illustration of Scarlet Bush, Hamelia patens

botanical record · discovered

Scarlet Bush

Hamelia patens

Scarlet Bush · Amélia · Anavaco · Ashiluna muyu · Buzunuco · Cafetillo · Coralillo · Cuseje’cho · Deshierba conuco · Firebush · Fosforillo · Jimiájimias · Llaga panka · Mariposa panka · Mexican Firecracker · Ongay · Scarletbush · Tisiku panka · Tuta pishku panka · Uvero

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Panama(Choco), Venezuela, Mexico

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Cancer, Diarrhea, Dysentery, Erysipelas

Science studied: ISOMARUQUINE, MARUQUINE, PALMIRINE, PTEROPODINE

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Rubiaceae

Scientific name: Hamelia patens

Common names: Scarlet Bush, Amélia, Anavaco, Ashiluna muyu, Buzunuco, Cafetillo, Coralillo, Cuseje’cho, Deshierba conuco, Firebush, Fosforillo, Jimiájimias, Llaga panka, Mariposa panka, Mexican Firecracker, Ongay, Scarletbush, Tisiku panka, Tuta pishku panka, Uvero

POWO: 752194-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Elsewhere, Panama(Choco), Venezuela, Mexico.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

  • Cancer
  • Diarrhea
  • Dysentery
  • Erysipelas
  • Jaundice
  • Malaria
  • Purgative
  • Sore
show 4 more documented entries
  • Skin
  • Ache(Head)
  • Fever
  • Poison

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

  • Elsewhere
  • Panama(Choco)
  • Venezuela
  • Mexico

Documented cultural uses

  • Cancer
  • Diarrhea
  • Dysentery
  • Erysipelas
  • Jaundice
  • Malaria
  • Purgative
  • Sore
  • Skin
  • Ache(Head)
  • Fever
  • Poison

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

  • Cancer · Elsewhere · "
  • Diarrhea · Panama(Choco) · "
  • Dysentery · Elsewhere · "
  • Erysipelas · Elsewhere · "
  • Jaundice · Venezuela · "
  • Malaria · Elsewhere · "
  • Purgative · Panama(Choco) · "
  • Sore · Mexico · "
  • Skin · Mexico · "
  • Ache(Head) · Venezuela · "
  • Fever · Panama(Choco) · "
  • Poison · Elsewhere · "

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

  • Hamelia patens-Derived Red-Emitting Carbon Quantum Dots: Surface-State Luminescence, Antioxidant Potency, and In Vitro Bioimaging · 2026 source ↗
  • Traditional Aqueous and Ethanol Maceration of Hamelia patens Leaves: A Phytochemical and Pharmacological Exploration. · 2025 source ↗
  • Comparison of Secondary Metabolite Extraction Methods in <i>Hamelia patens</i> Jacq. and Their Inhibitory Effect on <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>radicis-lycopersici</i>. · 2025 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

  • ISOMARUQUINE
  • MARUQUINE
  • PALMIRINE
  • PTEROPODINE
  • SENECIOPHYLLINE
  • STIGMAST-4-ENE-3,6-DIONE
  • TANNIN
  • ISOPTEROPODINE
  • RUMBERINE

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Hamelia patens
Hamelia patens · Forest &amp; Kim Starr

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

show claim source mapping
  • identity · DH-SRC-0030
  • documented_uses · DH-SRC-0030
  • compounds · DH-SRC-0030
  • taxonomy · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
  • common_names · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
  • countries · DH-SRC-GBIF · source ↗
  • wfo_taxonomy · DH-SRC-0003 · source ↗
  • cultural_records · DH-SRC-0030 · source ↗
  • powo_taxonomy · DH-SRC-0001 · source ↗
  • wcvp_taxonomy · DH-SRC-0002 · source ↗

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

checking published revisions…

Dear Herb is a living journal of botanical knowledge. Its records grow through research, historical discovery, and community contributions.

add knowledgesuggest correctionshare a traditionadd sourcesubmit imagery